Interview with Elisa Morgan, President of MOPS International and
Author of NAKED FRUIT
Interview with Elisa Morgan, President of MOPS International and
Author of NAKED FRUIT By Lisa M. Hendey
As a busy wife responsible for the care and nurturing of so many
lives outside my own, it's nice to be reminded that it's "God's
job" to hand the "fruit production" in my life - to bestow upon
me the fruit of the Spirit. Most days I'm just busy ensuring
that four sets of teeth get brushed after every meal - the
thought of being loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good,
faithful, gentle and exercising self control can be daunting.
Thank goodness for encouraging authors like Elisa Morgan, who
not only inspire the heart, but also offer the tools to keep me
aiming at and running towards my spiritual goals.
NAKED FRUIT: GETTING HONEST ABOUT THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
(Revell, August 2004, hardcover, 168 pages) gives moms the tools
they need to open their hearts and souls to accepting the
Spirit's gift, and equips them to grow in their relationship
with God and with those whose lives they touch. Author and MOPS
International President Elisa Morgan's concept that the "Naked
Fruit" of a relationship with God is simply becoming (as best we
can) like Jesus is as refreshingly satisfying as the first bite
into a luscious orange on a hot summer afternoon!
The book's brief, yet insightful chapters end in thought
provoking (but manageable) "Fruit for Thought" exercised
designed to help busy mothers see a clear path to growing more
fruitful in their own circles of relation. Although the book is
aimed at mothers, any Christian looking to honestly make the
world a better place and wanting to grow in love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self
control will doubtless benefit from the experience of reading,
savoring and digesting NAKED FRUIT.
LH: I am pleased to share the following Book Spotlight interview
with Elisa Morgan, president of MOPS International and author of
the new book NAKED FRUIT: GETTING HONEST ABOUT THE FRUIT OF THE
SPIRIT. Elisa, could you start off by telling our readers about
your background with MOPS and your own family?
EM: MOPS International began in 1973 with a group of women in a
Denver, Colorado suburb. I was hired as the first president in
1989. For the last fifteen plus years, it has been my pleasure
and honor to lead this ministry to moms in a unique and
challenging season of life. Initially, I felt very ill-equipped
to lead this organization but after much soul-searching I
realized that God wasn't asking me to be a perfect mother, but
rather to lead as a "Mother Inferior", one mom helping another.
When I began at MOPS, my children were three and five. Today my
family includes my husband of twenty-five years, Evan, my
eighteen-year-old son, Ethan, my twenty-year-old daughter, Eva,
and her new baby, Marcus - all living with us at home right now!
LH: NAKED FRUIT is such a refreshing book, especially for busy
mothers who may be struggling with their vocation to motherhood.
What message do you hope that readers will take away from the
experience of reading this book?
EM: That the fruit of the Spirit is attainable through God's
help. And that if we really want to grow a life that matters,
these characteristics should be our goal. One more thing: early
motherhood is a very humbling and challenging season. God can
grow fruit even in days that are filled with
frustrations...i.e.: compost is necessary for fruit production!
LH: In NAKED FRUIT, you emphasize the importance of the concept
of stripping away the idea that Christianity is simply "being
nice". What do you mean by this and how do so many moms fall
into the trap?
EM: We tend to think that the fruit of the Spirit is all about
putting a sweet smile on our faces and being nice, nice, nice
all the time, even when we don't feel like smiling or being
nice. It's a misconception of Christianity. The fruit of the
Spirit is really about being like Jesus. Jesus was always
fruit-filled in his interactions with others but he wasn't
always "nice". He was loving to the prostitute but told her
clearly to stop sinning. He was loving to the Pharisees but told
them not to make faith harder than God says it is. He was
peaceful but expressed this quality by napping in the bottom of
a boat in the midst of a storm on the Sea of Galilee while his
disciples freaked out. Jesus was always loving, joyful,
peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle and
self-controlled but he didn't always look "nice" according to
the definitions of his culture.
LH: What can I do as a mom to "make a difference" in the lives
of my own children and other loved ones?
EM: Focus on the big picture: are you and your children growing
to look more like Jesus each day, each month, each year? Again,
it's not about being nice but rather about possessing the
characteristics of his personality in your own unique
personality. Joy will look different in you than in your child.
That's okay. But are you still growing joy?
LH: Elisa Morgan, thank you so much for your time and for this
wonderful book, NAKED FRUIT. Are there any additional thoughts
or comments you'd like to share with our readers?
EM: One other thing - Another reason we shy away from fruit
production in our lives is that we believe that the
responsibility for growing love, joy etc. is all up to us. We
know we can't produce these qualities in and of ourselves. We've
tried. And failed. And so we figure - forget it. The fruit of
the Spirit is up to God to produce in us. Our job is to
cooperate with him by connecting ourselves to him in a
relationship with Jesus Christ. God's job is to grow the fruit.
For more information or to order NAKED FRUIT: GETTING HONEST
ABOUT THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT visit
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0800718739/digitalcropper-
20
Lisa M. Hendey is a mother of two sons, webmaster of numerous
web sites, including http://www.digitalcropper.com,
http://www.christincoloring.com, and http://www.catholicmom.com
and an avid reader.